Pierre LGD: How Infographics Grew an Instagram Account From 0 to 42,000 Followers
Pierre Legras-Dauger was 22 at the time of this episode. He started lifting at 16 because he was getting bullied at school, studied biology without much passion, tried selling supplements, and eventually got his personal trainer certification with Bye Viennent in 2019. A 9-month fully online course, between 1,200 and 1,500 euros, with new lessons dropping every Friday in a Facebook group. And here's the thing: before he even received his diploma, he'd already started coaching his first clients through Gymkee.
What changed everything for Pierre was a lucky double coincidence: his Photoshop skills from his gaming YouTube days, and stumbling onto an English-language account posting food comparison infographics. One food on the left, another on the right, with calorie counts. He adapted the format, added real scientific depth in the captions, and chose the orange and white design he still uses today. On January 1st 2020, he had 300 followers. In August 2020, the comparison infographics took off. At his peak, he was gaining 10,000 followers a month. Today he's at 42,000.
What Pierre shows in this episode is the "content first, coaching second" strategy in action. He never tried to sell directly. He just made content he genuinely enjoyed creating, and the coaching clients followed naturally. He manages his clients, between 10 and 20 per month, on Gymkee, with a 57-euro 30-day program as an entry-level offer and individual coaching for those who want full personalised support.
Key Takeaways
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Starting on October 31st 2019, without waiting for perfect conditions
Pierre launched his Instagram account a month and a half before officially getting his certification. He didn't wait. He knew what he wanted to do, had the knowledge, and started building tools in Excel to send programs to his first clients. And he says it straight: "Don't try to have perfect conditions before doing something... just do it." -
The August 2020 turning point: from scientific content to comparison infographics
For the first few months, Pierre was creating very scientific content, study-based, advanced nutrition concepts. It worked on a small scale but attracted an audience that debated everything. He got tired of it. Looking at what worked elsewhere, he found an English-language account comparing two foods. He adapted the format, kept the scientific rigour in the captions, and overnight his posts went from 100 likes to 600-800. His account then grew by 10,000 followers a month. -
Gymkee to manage 10 to 20 clients per month
Pierre mentions it right from the start: he manages his clients "on the Gymkee app." With 10 to 20 active clients at any given time, Gymkee lets him centralise programs, follow-up, and communication, without relying on spreadsheets or scattered message threads. -
A 57-euro 30-day program: making coaching accessible
On top of individual coaching (150 to 250 euros a month depending on needs), Pierre created a fixed 30-day program at 57 euros, including a nutrition plan and 5 training sessions per week. The idea is to give access to people who can't afford personalised coaching yet. The program can be reused beyond 30 days. For him, these are two complementary markets, not competing ones. -
Treating YouTube as a search engine, not a social network
Pierre draws a clear line between Instagram (social network, built on relationships and recommendations) and YouTube (search engine, built on queries). For YouTube, he recommends the "Take Médias" channel to learn how to create content that actually ranks. These are two completely different strategies, and mixing them up means producing content that'll never show up in search results. -
Raising prices when your value outgrows your rate
Pierre started at 65 euros a month for his first client. He raised his prices gradually, not randomly, but when he felt the value he was delivering didn't match what he was charging anymore. His approach is simple: when what you offer is worth more, you charge more. He's now at 147 euros a month for standard individual coaching. His advice to new coaches: start at an accessible price so you can stack up client results, then raise rates as soon as those results speak for themselves. -
Calendly for initial calls
To qualify potential new clients and make first contact, Pierre uses Calendly. It cuts out the endless back-and-forth to schedule a call. Interested people book a slot directly, which already filters for the most motivated ones.
Resources Mentioned
- Gymkee :app used by Pierre to manage his clients, their programs, and daily follow-up
- Bye Viennent :online personal trainer certification, 9 months, weekly lessons via Facebook group, 1,200 to 1,500 euros
- Calendly :scheduling tool for initial calls with new clients
- Take Médias :YouTube channel recommended by Pierre for learning to create searchable content
- Photoshop :design tool used to create infographics (mastered during his gaming YouTube years)
- Instagram :primary acquisition channel, orange and white design adopted January 1st 2020
"The lockdown didn't affect me at all, because I'd never done in-person coaching. I was already 100% online from day one."
"I was trying to do what everyone else was doing at first, and it wasn't working. The moment I found the comparison infographic format, I never had a post below 600 likes again. It was instant."
"What gives me the most joy is genuinely walking alongside someone, watching a real transformation happen. That's why I'm way more invested in individual coaching than in selling programs."
